LOS ANGELES (Legal Newsline) – A class action lawsuit has been filed by a California woman over whether an infant product manufacturer’s products are actually natural, but the company says the plaintiff is mistaken.
The plaintiff, Veronica Brenner, is alleging that Procter & Gamble Co.’s Pampers baby wipes are falsely advertised as being a natural product. Brenner filed the lawsuit in the U.S. District Court for the Central District of California. In her complaint she says Procter & Gamble violated the California Consumers Legal Remedies Act, by falsely advertising its baby wipes as natural.
Brenner, who is filing the lawsuit on behalf of others affected by the advertising claim, alleges that because the Pampers Natural Clean baby wipes were marketed as natural, she was misled into buying them. She said that when testing the wipes, she found they contain unnatural ingredients and ingredients that are harmful to babies, including phenoxyethanol, which she claimed could harm consumers and especially babies.
“Pampers baby wipes do not contain the ingredient phenoxyethanol, which is mentioned in the lawsuit,” Heather Valento, a spokesperson for Procter & Gamble, told Legal Newsline.
“We replaced phenoxyethanol in March of this year because we found a simpler preservative formula with fewer ingredients, which we know consumers prefer. We made this change prior to any knowledge of this lawsuit.”
According to Valento, “The safety and comfort of babies is our highest priority. All of the ingredients in Pampers baby wipes have been thoroughly evaluated by our own safety experts as well as external experts to confirm they are safe for babies. The ingredients in our wipes are commonly used in many baby wipes brands and have been safely used by millions of babies.”
Brenner is seeking a jury trial and compensatory, statutory and punitive damages in this case. She is also asking for an injunctive relief from the defendant, interest, restitution and any other monetary relief, plus court costs and any additional relief the courts should grant her.
Regarding the merit of the case, Valento said, “At Pampers, we believe this lawsuit is without merit and we stand by the Natural Clean name. Pampers Natural Clean wipes are hypoallergenic, fragrance free and alcohol free, and have a lotion that is 98 percent pure water with other naturally derived ingredients. In addition, Pampers Natural Clean wipes have been clinically proven to help maintain the natural pH of babies' skin.”
While the Pampers Natural Clean baby wipes are advertised as a natural product, Procter & Gamble offers other diaper and wipe products that are marketed as hypoallergenic and perfume free. It also produces a range of diaper and wipe products for infants, babies and toddlers under the Pampers name.
For the lawsuit, Brenner is being represented by L. Timothy Fisher of Bursor & Fisher PA in Walnut Creek, California, and Scott A. Bursor of Bursor & Fisher PA in New York.